Paulding Middle School
Encyclopedia
Paulding Middle School was originally the first high school built in the area in 1906. Decades later, the school became the lower school that fed into the new high school
. Currently, the school is one of three middle school
s in the Lucia Mar Unified School District
teaching about 625 students in grades 7 and 8. Paulding has been designated a California Distinguished School
four times
This was the first high school built in the area between San Luis Obispo
and Santa Maria
. Ten years later, the wooden building was replaced by a larger brick building. Over the next two decades, a shop building, a tennis court, and hot air heating were added. In 1939, the Works Progress Administration
built the gymnasium that is still in use today.
. The original school became the Ruth Paulding Junior High School that fed the new high school. In the early 1990s, the school was renamed to Ruth Paulding Middle School, though it continues to teach only grades 7 and 8 (unlike Mesa Middle School, which also includes grade 6).
As the function of the school changed, the school went through several name changes. These include Arroyo Grande High School, Arroyo Grande Union High School, Arroyo Grande Lower School, Crown Hill, Ruth Paulding Junior High School, and currently Ruth Paulding Middle School. Students and other locals usually refer to the school as "Paulding Middle School" or simply "Paulding".
Seventh grade electives include Wheel (a rotation of Health, Exploring Technology, and Fine Arts courses), Math and Language support, Band (advanced or intermediate), Drama (limited entry), and Guitar.
Eighth graders may choose from electives including Leadership/Government, Band (advanced or intermediate), Drama/Speech, Art, Math and Language support, AVID
, Spanish, Guitar, and Yearbook/Graphic Production.
The seminar program is a daily scheduled 20-minute period where students and the seminar teacher meet for discussing social, emotional, and academic concerns. The period also focuses on forming friendships, trust, group cohesiveness, school spirit, and academic goals. The Seminar is graded as pass/fail and does not affect Honor Roll standing.
The campus normally opens to students at 7:30 AM, with first period classes starting at 7:54 AM. Class periods are 47 minutes long, with 4 minutes allowed between classes for passing. There is a 10-minute break between second and third periods, and lunch is a half hour starting at 11:58 AM. Seventh period, which is the final period of the day, ends at 2:10 PM.
with radiating spokes. Each of the spokes consists of a wing of the school, with the wings numbered by multiples of 10 from 30-70. An outer ring encloses the other spokes and is numbered in the 80's.
Four of the wings are often referred to as "teams". The 30's and 40's are eighth grade teams, and the 50's and 60's are seventh grade teams. Competition occurs between the grade-level wings.
1916
1917–1938
1939
2001
2009
2011
Paulding Middle School sponsors boys and girls basketball
, cross country
, track and field
, and boys and girls volleyball
. Additionally, the soccer club plays throughout the fall with both boys and girls teams. The faculty adviser, Mr. Calderon, volunteers his time, and the club receives quite a bit of community support.
The non-profit 5 Cities Roller Kitties roller derby
league holds practices and events on the Paulding basketball court.
program. The February 2002 team (joint with Judkins Middle School) of Daniel Angel, Bryce Blue (Wassup Rockers
), Zac Efron
(High School Musical
), Anthony Martin, Chris Reinacher, and Brogan Sterns won the Global Finals in the challenge "The Art of Improv, Middle Level".
In February 2011, the "Extreme Makeover, DIsaster Edition" (a joint team with Arroyo Grande High School
) and the "The Cavorting Beasties of Cyclical Proportions" (joint with Nipomo High School
) earned perfect scores in the regional competition. They, along with "Your Average Lunatics" (a third team that scored well and was exclusively from Paulding), advanced to the state finals. At state, the teams placed 6th out of 6, 2nd out of 2, and 7th out of 14 respectively in their grade levels. The 2012 competition will be held on February 27 at AGHS.
Band members sell a "Green and Gold Card" with community discount offers as a fundraiser. The money raised benefits the Paulding Music Department.
, Club Live, Colorguard, GATE
, Homework Club, Knitting Club, Los Mayitas, Mock Trial
, Pep Band
, PSA (Paulding Sports Association), and Robotics
. There also is a Student Council formed from a combination of three elected officers from each grade and additional classroom representatives.
Notes:
San Luis Obispo County high schools
Arroyo Grande High School
Arroyo Grande High School is an American public high school located in Arroyo Grande, California. It serves grades 9-12 as part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District .-Campus:...
. Currently, the school is one of three middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
s in the Lucia Mar Unified School District
Lucia Mar Unified School District
The Lucia Mar Unified School District is the largest school district in San Luis Obispo County, with about 10,900 students. It covers at the southern end of the county, from Shell Beach to the county line at the Santa Maria River...
teaching about 625 students in grades 7 and 8. Paulding has been designated a California Distinguished School
California Distinguished School
A California Distinguished School is an award given by the California State Board of Education to public schools within the state that best represent exemplary and quality educational programs. Approximately five percent of California schools are awarded this honor each year following a selection...
four times
High school
Arroyo Grande high school students originally met for classes in the original grammar school building in town. The grammar school moved to a different location, and the high school students moved with it. Later, the students met in the Good Samaritan Hall on Branch Street while the first dedicated high school building was built. In 1906, the students were able to move into the new wooden building at the top of Crown Hill.This was the first high school built in the area between San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
and Santa Maria
Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
. Ten years later, the wooden building was replaced by a larger brick building. Over the next two decades, a shop building, a tennis court, and hot air heating were added. In 1939, the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
built the gymnasium that is still in use today.
Middle school
Several years later, the student body again outgrew the capacity of the school. A much larger high school was built to the southwest of the original campus, and it assumed the name of Arroyo Grande High SchoolArroyo Grande High School
Arroyo Grande High School is an American public high school located in Arroyo Grande, California. It serves grades 9-12 as part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District .-Campus:...
. The original school became the Ruth Paulding Junior High School that fed the new high school. In the early 1990s, the school was renamed to Ruth Paulding Middle School, though it continues to teach only grades 7 and 8 (unlike Mesa Middle School, which also includes grade 6).
As the function of the school changed, the school went through several name changes. These include Arroyo Grande High School, Arroyo Grande Union High School, Arroyo Grande Lower School, Crown Hill, Ruth Paulding Junior High School, and currently Ruth Paulding Middle School. Students and other locals usually refer to the school as "Paulding Middle School" or simply "Paulding".
Curriculum
The curriculum requires four semesters of Language Skills, Mathematics, Social Science, Physical Education, Science, a seminar program, and grade-specific electives.Seventh grade electives include Wheel (a rotation of Health, Exploring Technology, and Fine Arts courses), Math and Language support, Band (advanced or intermediate), Drama (limited entry), and Guitar.
Eighth graders may choose from electives including Leadership/Government, Band (advanced or intermediate), Drama/Speech, Art, Math and Language support, AVID
Advancement Via Individual Determination
Advancement Via Individual Determination is an American college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges, focusing on students in the academic middle. The formula is to raise expectations of students...
, Spanish, Guitar, and Yearbook/Graphic Production.
The seminar program is a daily scheduled 20-minute period where students and the seminar teacher meet for discussing social, emotional, and academic concerns. The period also focuses on forming friendships, trust, group cohesiveness, school spirit, and academic goals. The Seminar is graded as pass/fail and does not affect Honor Roll standing.
Campus
Like the other two middle schools in the district, Paulding is built on a hill overlooking the surrounding city. The highest point on the campus is the peak of Crown Hill in the western-most corner of the campus at about 206 feet. The lowest point is 125 feet, 81 feet lower, at the southeast corner of the athletic fields.The campus normally opens to students at 7:30 AM, with first period classes starting at 7:54 AM. Class periods are 47 minutes long, with 4 minutes allowed between classes for passing. There is a 10-minute break between second and third periods, and lunch is a half hour starting at 11:58 AM. Seventh period, which is the final period of the day, ends at 2:10 PM.
Layout
The Paulding campus is laid out in a semicircle. At one end are the Gym and P.E. area (numbered in the 10's) and the library media center and office area (the 20's). The rest of the campus is arranged like a wagon wheelWagon Wheel
The Blue and Gold Wagon Wheel, now known simply as the Wagon Wheel, is awarded to the winner of the annual college football game between the University of Akron and Kent State University....
with radiating spokes. Each of the spokes consists of a wing of the school, with the wings numbered by multiples of 10 from 30-70. An outer ring encloses the other spokes and is numbered in the 80's.
Four of the wings are often referred to as "teams". The 30's and 40's are eighth grade teams, and the 50's and 60's are seventh grade teams. Competition occurs between the grade-level wings.
History of significant events
1906- The original wooden high school building was built atop Crown Hill to the east of the downtown village of Arroyo Grande. It was the first high school to be built between San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria.
1916
- A larger brick building was constructed at the same site, replacing the earlier building.
1917–1938
- A shop building, tennis court, and improved heating were added to the school.
1939
- The campus gymnasium was built, which is still in use today.
2001
- In August 2001, the district approved construction of a $1.9 million, 10,500-square-foot, multi-use building between the office and 30's wing. Ground was broken in 2003, and by 2005, the project was complete. Also in 2001, a new track and court complex were added to the athletic fields.
2009
- At the beginning of the 2009 school year, a sidewalk was added to one side of Crown Hill enabling students to walk up and down it.
2011
- Following a bat infestation inside the school's roofs in the mid-1990's and an ongoing rodent problem in the ceilings, Paulding received new roofs during the summer of 2011 paid for out of district maintenance funds.
Athletics
The athletic fields for the school are located 30-feet below the locker rooms across the busy East Branch Street. Students use a fenced pedestrian bridge and a steep stairway to reach the fields below. During the 2001-02 academic year, a track and more courts were added to the athletic fields. Before that, field sports were played on grassy lawns outlined with chalk.Paulding Middle School sponsors boys and girls basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, and boys and girls volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. Additionally, the soccer club plays throughout the fall with both boys and girls teams. The faculty adviser, Mr. Calderon, volunteers his time, and the club receives quite a bit of community support.
The non-profit 5 Cities Roller Kitties roller derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
league holds practices and events on the Paulding basketball court.
Destination ImagiNation
The school participates in the annual Destination ImagiNationDestination ImagiNation
Destination ImagiNation Inc. or DI is a creative problem solving organization for youth and adults. Destination ImagiNation's educational goals are to foster creative and critical thinking, to develop teamwork, collaboration and leadership skills, and to nurture research and inquiry skills...
program. The February 2002 team (joint with Judkins Middle School) of Daniel Angel, Bryce Blue (Wassup Rockers
Wassup Rockers
-Plot:Wassup Rockers is about a group of Guatemalan American and Salvadoran American teenagers in South Central Los Angeles who, instead of conforming to the hip hop culture of their gang-infested neighborhood, wear tight pants, listen to punk rock,and ride skateboards. Avoiding the violence of...
), Zac Efron
Zac Efron
Zachary David Alexander "Zac" Efron is an American actor. He began acting professionally in the early 2000s and became known with his lead roles in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical, the WB series Summerland, and the 2007 film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray...
(High School Musical
High School Musical
High School Musical is a 2006 American television film, first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful film that Disney Channel Original Movie ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and...
), Anthony Martin, Chris Reinacher, and Brogan Sterns won the Global Finals in the challenge "The Art of Improv, Middle Level".
In February 2011, the "Extreme Makeover, DIsaster Edition" (a joint team with Arroyo Grande High School
Arroyo Grande High School
Arroyo Grande High School is an American public high school located in Arroyo Grande, California. It serves grades 9-12 as part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District .-Campus:...
) and the "The Cavorting Beasties of Cyclical Proportions" (joint with Nipomo High School
Nipomo High School
Nipomo High School is an American public high school located in Nipomo, California. It serves grades 9-12 as part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District...
) earned perfect scores in the regional competition. They, along with "Your Average Lunatics" (a third team that scored well and was exclusively from Paulding), advanced to the state finals. At state, the teams placed 6th out of 6, 2nd out of 2, and 7th out of 14 respectively in their grade levels. The 2012 competition will be held on February 27 at AGHS.
Homework clubs
Homework Clubs are voluntary (though some students are "strongly encouraged" to attend) opportunities to work on homework or a reading assignment. All of the homework clubs are open to any student who complies with the rules and would like extra help with their coursework. There are three homework clubs that meet regularly, though other teachers open their classrooms for similar help on a regular basis. Attendance records are kept of all participants.School band
The school band performs at numerous parades and events including:- September: Arroyo Grande Valley Harvest Festival — an annual event since 1937
- October: Pismo Beach Clam Festival — a community tradition since 1946
- November: Pismo Beach Marching Band Review — an annual competitive parade of marching bands from around California
- December: Grover Beach Holiday Parade — an annual event since 1966
- The band often participates various "Music in the Parks" events.
Band members sell a "Green and Gold Card" with community discount offers as a fundraiser. The money raised benefits the Paulding Music Department.
Other clubs
Students may participate in several other clubs, including CheerleadingCheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
, Club Live, Colorguard, GATE
Gifted education
Gifted education is a broad term for special practices, procedures and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or talented...
, Homework Club, Knitting Club, Los Mayitas, Mock Trial
Mock trial
A Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
, Pep Band
Pep band
A pep band is an ensemble of instrumentalists who play at functions or events with the purpose of entertaining and "pepping" up a crowd. Often members of a pep band are a subset of people from a larger ensemble such as a marching band or a concert band. Pep bands are generally associated with...
, PSA (Paulding Sports Association), and Robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
. There also is a Student Council formed from a combination of three elected officers from each grade and additional classroom representatives.
Notable alumni
- Thornton LeeThornton LeeThornton Starr Lee , also nicknamed "Lefty", was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Chicago White Sox and New York Giants . Lee batted and threw left-handed. He is the father of pitcher Don Lee, a former big leaguer.-Career:Lee was born in Sonoma,...
, 1923–1925 — Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Zack Efron, 2000–2002 — actor
Awards, recognition, and rankings
- Paulding has been awarded the California Distinguished SchoolCalifornia Distinguished SchoolA California Distinguished School is an award given by the California State Board of Education to public schools within the state that best represent exemplary and quality educational programs. Approximately five percent of California schools are awarded this honor each year following a selection...
award four times, once each in 1988, 1996, 2001, and 2005. - The Education.com TestRating for Paulding is 8, which is the highest in the district (Judkins Middle School received a 7, and Mesa Middle School received a 6). Among nearby schools, only Paulding and Laguna Middle School scored 8's, while the remainder scored between a 2 and a 7.
Enrollment
The table below details enrollment figures for the past thee years and decades.| Total enrollment: | 2010–11 | 2009–10 | 2008–09 | 2007–08 | 2000 | 1990 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | Percent | Change (1 yr) |
Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Students | Percent | Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | |
| 629 | 100.00 | -13 |
24 |
642 | 100.00 | 19 |
623 | 100.00 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 653 | 100.00 | 38 |
615 | 100.00 | |
| Enrollment by grade: | 2010–11 | 2009–10 | 2008–09 | 2007–08 | 2000 | 1990 | |||||||||||
| Students | Percent | Change (1 yr) |
Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Students | Percent | Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | |
| 7th grade | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 322 | 50.16 | 12 |
310 | 49.76 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 325 | 49.77 | 17 |
308 | 51.25 |
| 8th grade | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 320 | 49.84 | 7 |
313 | 50.24 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 328 | 50.23 | 35 |
293 | 48.75 |
| Enrollment by gender: | 2010–11 | 2009–10 | 2008–09 | 2007–08 | 2000 | 1990 | |||||||||||
| Students | Percent | Change (1 yr) |
Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Students | Percent | Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | |
| Male | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 342 | 53.27 | 18 |
324 | 52.01 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 334 | 51.15 | n/a | n/r | n/r |
| Female | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 300 | 46.73 | 1 |
299 | 47.99 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 319 | 48.85 | n/a | n/r | n/r |
| Enrollment by race: | 2010–11 | 2009–10 | 2008–09 | 2007–08 | 2000 | 1990 | |||||||||||
| Students | Percent | Change (1 yr) |
Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Students | Percent | Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | |
| White | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 413 | 64.33 | -1 |
414 | 66.45 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 503 | 77.03 | 52 |
451 | 73.33 |
| Hispanic | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 178 | 27.73 | 42 |
136 | 21.83 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 117 | 17.92 | -32 |
149 | 24.23 |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 27 | 4.21 | 4 |
23 | 3.69 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 23 | 2.30 | 15 |
8 | 1.30 |
| Two or more races | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 16 | 2.49 | -27 |
43 | 6.90 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/r | n/r | n/a | n/r | n/r |
| Black | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 4 | 0.62 | -27 |
6 | 0.96 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 4 | 0.61 | -2 |
6 | 0.98 |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 3 | 0.47 | 2 |
1 | 0.16 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 6 | 0.92 | 5 |
1 | 0.16 |
| Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | 0.16 | 1 |
0 | '0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/r | n/r | n/a | n/r | n/r |
| Qualify for Free/Reduced Lunches: | 2010–11 | 2009–10 | 2008–09 | 2007–08 | 2000 | 1990 | |||||||||||
| Students | Percent | Change (1 yr) |
Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Change | Students | Percent | Students | Percent | Change (10 yrs) |
Students | Percent | |
| Free lunches | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 160 | 25.44 | 44 |
116 | 18.62 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 113 | 17.30 | n/a | n/r | n/r |
| Reduced-price lunches | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 77 | 12.24 | 30 |
47 | 7.54 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 57 | 8.73 | n/a | n/r | n/r |
Faculty and staff
| Academic Year | Pupils to Teachers | Teachers | Other Staff | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratio | Change | FTE Full-time equivalent Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization... |
Change | # | Change | |
| 2010–11 | 24.2 | -0.5 |
26.0 | 0 |
10 | n/a |
| 2009–10 | 24.7 | 4.2 |
26.0 | -0.8 |
n/a | n/a |
| 2008–09 | 20.5 | n/a | 26.8 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 2007–08 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 2000 | 22.8 | 1.6 |
28.6 | -0.4 |
n/a | n/a |
| 1990 | 21.2 | n/a | 29.0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Notes:
- 2006–07 and 2007–08 data have not been added to these tables yet.
- Not all values total to 100% due to rounding, missing data, or other issues with the original data.
- "NA" indicates no change or an unusual condition, "n/a" indicates that the information is not available or not applicable, and "n/r" indicates that the information was not reported.
- Due to changes in reporting methods, if the "Hawaiian / Pacific Islander" race was reported, then "Asian / Pacific Islander" does not include those values (i.e., it was "Asian"-only in that reporting period). However, if "Hawaiian / Pacific Islander" was not reported, then "Asian / Pacific Islander" includes both races.
- For decades, the academic year of x0–x1 is used (e.g., 90–91 for 1990).
- Statistics at the source only are available from 1986–87 to 2009–10. Limited preliminary data for 2010–11 is included where possible.
See also
Lucia Mar Unified School DistrictLucia Mar Unified School District
The Lucia Mar Unified School District is the largest school district in San Luis Obispo County, with about 10,900 students. It covers at the southern end of the county, from Shell Beach to the county line at the Santa Maria River...
San Luis Obispo County high schools